1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to storage bins, and more particularly, to pivotable stow bins for a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and a method of making such stow bins.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As more people travel, demand for onboard storage of carry-on luggage has increased, in aircraft, as well as busses, ships, trains and other means of mass transit. The known luggage storage bins take various forms, depending on the size of the vehicle, such as overhead luggage bins in the interior of an aircraft having upwardly swinging doors, or pull-down storage bins.
One type of known overhead stowage bin for an aircraft consists of an upper bin portion (“shroud”) adapted to be mounted to supports and a cooperating lower bin portion (“bucket”) that opens downward for receiving luggage. The bucket includes means to control motion of the bucket, as well as an operating handle on its exterior surface, near its top-most portion, adjacent the shroud when the overhead storage or luggage bin is closed. When the handle is operated, as by pulling, to open the luggage bin, the bucket moves downward to enable persons to insert luggage or other items into, or remove luggage or other items from the bucket.
The operating handles of these known overhead storage bins may be difficult to open or reach by some passengers because of the placement of the operating handle near the top-most portion. Furthermore, during the assembly or manufacture of the known buckets, small dimples may appear through a covering laminate on the visible front surface of the bucket when an insert is potted on the opposite side of the front of the bucket, thus resulting in the bucket being rejected, causing costly rework and/or replacement.
Additionally, because of the curved interior surface of the front face of the known buckets, and, in particular, latch covers held on the internal surface of the front, problems have occurred in inserting or removing luggage because of the need to “drag” the luggage over the “bump” caused by the latch cover. Also, in some instances, adaptor panels must be added to the curved interior surface of the front face of known buckets when other items, such as emergency or video equipment is mounted in the buckets.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for improved luggage storage bins for aircraft or the like and a method of making the same, which storage bins overcome known problems, are more easily operated and manufactured, and which allow for easier and smoother loading and removal of luggage and other items from the interior of a lowered bucket.